The present invention relates to apparatus and method for providing tone operating capability to a dial telephone in which the standard mouthpiece including the original microphone is removed and replaced by the mouthpiece of the present invention.
The dial telephone systems which have been in use for years are gradually being replaced by push button telephones. The push button telephone has been found to be more convenient and attractive to the user, and in time it is anticipated that virtually all telephones will be push button. In addition, the use of a push button telephone is required in some situations for use with modern systems requiring coded input such as computers, paging devices and so on.
The push button telephone operates on the basis of a two frequency tonal input command generated by the user by actuating the push buttons in sequence. These input commands can be used not only to place connections with other telephones but also as an input device for other systems. The tonal input replaces the direct current signal used in standard dial telephones which is not a compatible input system for computers, paging devices and the like.
The replacement of dial telephones with push button telephones requires major changes in existing telephone equipment in two broad categories. First, the switching equipment must be changed to accept the tonal input commands of the push button telephone rather than the commands of existing dial equipment. This changeover in switching equipment requires a large capital outlay. Second, as matters now stand, each individual dial telephone must be replaced separately with a push button telephone. The replacement of each individual telephone is relatively expensive not only in equipment cost but also in the manpower required to perform each transfer. Accordingly, the changeover from dial telephones to push button telephones is extremely expensive, both in the switching equipment which must be changed and in the new telephones which must be installed.
Because of the large expense involved in the changeover from dial telephone systems to push button systems, this changeover has been delayed in many areas. Even in areas wherein some of the switching equipment is being changed, not all equipment is changed at once and some lines remain as dial systems. The continued use of dial systems is undesirable, but at the present time is a financial necessity.
The remaining dial telephone systems have been found to inhibit the use of certain modern equipment, such as telephone operated computers and paging devices. Many such devices require use of tonal commands not to perform the initial connection but to operate the equipment as discussed above. The equipment can be reached by making the connection with a dial telephone, and after the connection has been made, it can be operated by inputing tonal commands. However, at the present time expensive attachments to existing dial telephones are required to provide tonal operating capability to a dial telephone and such attachments are not often used.